The day the GG exercised absolute discretion

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I HAVE not yet seen the civics syllabus being taught in some of the schools in Jamaica. However, in the role of the governor general, we have an example since Independence in 1962, where that office exercised its constitutional authority with regard to appointments of the leader of the Opposition.

In 1983, the People’s National Party boycotted the general election, which caused the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to occupy all the seats in the House of Representatives. Three years later, in 1986, two members of the JLP resigned their membership–Mssers Howard Wedemer and Anthony Abrahams –but retained their seats as members of parliament.

The resignation opened up the possibility for the two to function in opposition to the ruling party. However, the governor general, Sir Florizel Glasspole, in facing this constitutional dilemma, made a bold decision not to appoint either independent members as leader of the Opposition.

The Gleaner’s editorial of July 16, 1986, reported that Sir Florizel cited subsection (2) of Section 80 of the Constitution of Jamaica in announcing his decision. It states;

“Whenever the Governor General has occasion to appoint a Leader of the Opposition he shall, in his discretion, appoint the member of the House of Representatives who, in his judgement, is best able to command t he support of a majority of those members who do not support the Government, or, if there is no such person, the member of the House who, in his judgement, commands the support of the largest single group of such members who are prepared to support one leader.”

The editorial commented that in “making his decision the Governor General is exercising an absolute discretion in the matter”.

This historic decision by Sir Florizel should silence those who assumed that the office, being ceremonial, is a rubber stamp on decisions or actions in the nation’s Parliament.

DUDLEY MCLEAN, II dm15094@gmail.com